I went to college at UC Berkeley and even helped build a Hawaiian restaurant near campus, so I know the culture behind Berkeley. UC Berkeley is sustainable centric and behind many environmental movements. Last week, A SFGate titled Berkeley students decry proposed Panda Express article covered the story behind a student lead protest movement against Asian fast food chain Panda Express from opening a restaurant on campus. The Daily Californian, the campus newspaper, display a face of an angry protester.

Panda Express has agreed to provide
-vegetarian options
-biodegradable packing
- locally grown produce
-Alameda County green certification
-oil free of trans fat

Side note. A few years ago, I flew down to Pasadena to meet Panda Express founder Andrew Cherng. Their success has been mainly driven by their focused founder. The menu is simple and their core dish, the orange chicken remains a best seller.

My take. If I was a still a student at UC Berkeley, I would eat at Panda Express. They provide consistent taste in their food. But at the same time, I believe that the many Asian mom ‘n pops restaurant will see a hit in their business from Panda Express opening up on campus. Panda Express is estimated to bring in one million dollar in revenue. This translate to business to local growers and increasing job growth and tax dollars. At the end, everyone wins when a restaurant is created.